Torpedo-placer



(No Model.)

G. W PEIFER, J12, 8v OHNSTON. TORPEDO PLA No. 462,992. Patented Nov. 10, 1991.

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1 v 4/ Y W 2205a {fa/222995071 afloat M21 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE TV. PEI FER, JR, AND ROBERT JOHNSTON, OF lVILKES-BARRE, I

PENNSYLVANIA.

TORPEDO-PLACER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,992, dated November 10, 1891.

Application filed July 17, 1891- Serial No. 399136 1. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE WV. PEIFER, Jr., and ROBERT J OHNsTON, citizens of the United States, residing at lVilkes-Barr, in the county of Luzerne, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Torpedo-Placers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in torpedo-placers; and it has for its objects, among others, to provide an improved device of this character which shall be simple, cheap, durable, and efficient in operation and which shall hold the torpedo upon the rail in such a way as to insure its lying close thereupon and not tilting as the placer is removed. It has for a further ob ject to provide an improved clamp for holding the torpedo upon the rail.

\Ve provide pivoted jaws for holding the torpedo, which jaws are operated by the downward movement of the handle to release the torpedo.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features thereof will be specifically defined by the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which-- Figure 1 is a View, partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section, of our improved device. nal section through the device at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through a rail with the torpedo thereon.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A design ates the torpedo, which may be of the usual construction, except as regards the armsor clamps A, which are of the form shown in Fig. 3that is, arranged to embrace the rail A with the free ends of the arms bent upon themselves, as shown at a, with the ends extending at. an angle, as seen in Fig. 3, so as to bear upon the under face of the tread of the rail and prevent cooking up of the torpedo.

Fig. 2 is a central longitudi B is a socket-plate, formed at its lower end with a chuck b to hold the torpedo, and this chuck is provided with a recess or chamber for the reception of a spring B, adapted to bear upon the torpedo and force it downward when not otherwise restrained.

C is the handle held in the socket-piece, and which handle may be of any desired length and shape. The upper end of the socket-piece is surrounded by the spring D, which finds its points of resistance against the flange or shoulder a at this upperend and the flange or shoulder c at the upper end of the sleeve E. This sleeve has longitudinal slots 6 and terminates in the bumpers E, as seen best in Fig. 2. These bumpers are of such length as to rest upon the upper face of the rail when the torpedo is being placed.

G are jaws pivoted at g to the socket-piece and their lower ends hooked or otherwise formed to engage beneath the bottom of the torpedo, as seen in Fig. 2. The upper ends are tapered or inclined outward, as shown at g in Fig. 2, and extend into the slots eof the sleeve, the lower walls of which are correspondingly inclined or tapered, as seen in said Fig. 2.

Extending parallel with the pivots of the jaws is a pin 11, which is fast to the socketpiece. and at its outer end works in a longitudinal slot g of the outer. sleeve, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. v

The operation is apparent and simple. The torpedo is held in the placer, as seen in Fig. 2, with the hooked ends of the jaws beneath the torpedo and the sleeve at its lowest position. NVhen it is desired to place the torpedo upon the rail, it is manipulated by the handle, and the lower ends of the bumpers rest upon the rail, the jaws holding the torpedo until pressure is applied upon the upper end, when the bumpers being forced against the rail the sleeve is forced upward, and in its upward movement the incline of the lower walls ofits slots pressesagainst the outer faces of the inclines of the upper ends of the jaws and forces the said upper ends inward and their lower ends outward away from the torpedo, when the spring 3' forces the torpedo down upon the rail and its arms embrace the rail, as seen in Fig. 3. As soon as pressure is removed from the handle the parts assume their normal position, and a new torpedo may be placed in the device ready for future use. The lower portion of the socket-piece is tapered upon opposite sides, as seen in Fig. 2,for the better working of the pivoted jaws.

Modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What We claim as new is-- 1. The combination,witl1 the torpedo-holder, of the pivoted jaws and the movable sleeve adapted to actuate the jaws, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the sleeve having bumpers, of the pivoted jaws arranged to engage beneath the torpedo and to be actuated by the movement of the sleeve, as set forth.

3. The combination, with the socket-piece and the movable sleeve having slots, of the pivoted jaws having outwardly-inclined ends working in said slots, as set forth.

clined upper ends working in said slots, and

the spring at the lower end of the socket-piece to bear upon a torpedo, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of .two witnesses.

GEORGE W. PEIFER, JR. ROBERT JOHNSTON.

Witnesses:

L. B. LANDMESSER, FRANK W. LARNED. 

